Knitting machine



Juh 9, 1925. "1,540,845

C. C. KRIEBLE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb, 23, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 9-H I! KZQ I A 8 CW 1% June 9, 1925. 1,540,845

C. C. KRIEBLE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb, 25, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1:3I H 19 (Q6 9 33 33 3 v 2Q V 46/ I I a k Charlies CZJfirz'ebZ Qua/W GU 0:new

Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C, KRIEBLE, OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, TO WILD-MANMFG. 00., F NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

KNITTING MACHINE.

To all whom it may cow/0cm:

. Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. KRIEBLE,

' a citizen of the United States, and resident of Norristown, in thecounty of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedv certainnew and useful Improvements in Knitting Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

The invention is shown in connection with a rib knitting machine of thelatch needle type,'though- I do not limit myself to this class ofmachine in connection with all features of the invention.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangementof parts here inafter described and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of a knitting head embodying theinvention.

showing, however, only two feeds of a multiple feed machine, one beingactive and the other inactive.

Fig. 2 is a side view of part of a knitting head with the improvementsattached, the needle cylinder, dial, dial cap and cylinder cam ringbeing shown only in outline.

Fig. 2 is a sideview of a part of the cylinder cam ring, showing themeansfor automaticallv adjusting the needle raising and stitch cams.

Fig. 3 is a View of a portion of the dial cap in elevation with certainof the mechanism which is mounted thereon, shown partly in elevation andpartly in section and showing also in section, and diagrammaticallydeveloped, a portion of the dial of the rib knitting machine withcertain parts carried thereby.

Fig. 3 is a detail of-Fig. 3.

Fig; 4 is a plan view of the needle dial of the rib knitting machine.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of part of the needle dial, showing the camand one of the pins for controlling the changes in the yarn feeds.

Fig. 6 shows detail views of a cam and. fork for operating the yarnguide finger, and yarn cutter.

Fig. 7 is a plan view'of the star wheel and cam operated thereby.

Fig. 8 shows in perspective two views,

- shaft. 1

from opposite sides, of the cam which operates the yarn feeding, cuttingand clamping mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a view of the yarn guide finger. Fig. 10 is a view of anarmfor operatlng the yarn shear blade.

Fig. 11 shows views of an arm for adjusting, automatically, the stitchcam of the cylinder needles.

Fig. 12 is a detail view of a cam post or The machine belongs to thatclass in which the needle carrier or carriers rotate. The needlecylinder 1, the dial 2, and the dial cam support or cap 3 are shownmerely in outline in Fig. 2, and these parts as they appear in the otherfigures are designated by similar reference characters.

The invention may be used in a machine having any desired number offeeds. There. v is a yarn guide finger 4 at each feed, this beingpivoted at 5 to a bracket 6 fixed to the base of the stationary cam ring7 of the cylinder. This yarn guide finger is normally pressed down intofeeding position,

shown in Fig. 2 and at the right of Fig. 1,

- by a spring 8, and it is raised against the tension of this springwhen this feed is to be thrown out of operation, by a cam member 9having an inclined surface 10 which,

by riding over thetail end 11 of the yarn guide finger, will elevate itsinner end and raise the yarn out of work and also so that it will be cutby the shear blades, the movable one of which is shown M12, and whencut, the end of the yarn will be held by a clamp 12 between itself andthe blade, as is common practice.

A little before the yarn is lifted, cut and clamped at its loose or cutend, the raising cam of the cylinder needles and the wing cam of thedial needles are adjusted to retracted position so that the loops on theneedles at this feed will not clear their latches, and hence will notknit off, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

For operating the wiper cam 9 it is mounted on a hub 9 turnable about avertieal axis 13 and having an arm to which is pivotally attached a rod14 whlch extends substantially radially of the machine and is pivotallyconnected at 15 to. an arm' 16 pivoted at 17 to a base plate 18 of abracket 19, said base plate being secured to the dial cap or cam plate3. The arm 16 has a finger 20 hearing on the edge of the upper half of acam 21. The cam is provided with a hollow hub 22, mounted on a verticalshaft or post 23 and connected thereto by a pin 24 on the post extendinginto a notch or slot 25 of the hub. The shaft is formed with a flange 26to which is pinned a star wheel a having four arms, two of which a arein a horizontal plane above the plane of the other two arms a. The twohigh arms are diametrically opposite each other, or substanjects into agroove 29 in the upper face of the needle dial, and the cam 28 islocated in this groove with its high point flush with the top of thegroove. The needle dial also has two pins 6 and 0, one behind the other,

and at the same distance from the axial center 01 of the knitting head,about which center the needle cylinder and dial rotate. These pins arespaced apart circumferentially of the dial and the cam 28 for raisingthe post or shaft 23 with its star wheel is star wheel a quarter turn,and the pin 0 will located on a radial line passing between the twopins. The cam 28 is fixed to the dial by its shank, which is screwthreaded and is clamped by a nut, Fig. 5. The two pins 6 and c are inposition to strike the arms of the star wheel in succession and by theircombined action thereon they give the star wheel a one-half revolution,one-quarter revolution for each pin, and consequently the cam 21 alsowill be given a one-half revolution at each feed changing operation. Inthis action the pin b will strike one arm, i. e., one of the higharmsa', and give the then strike the next arm of the star wheel, whichis a low arm, and give the star wheel another quarterrevolution. Theseactions presuppose that the star wheel has been thrust down from itshigh or idle position shown in Fig. 3, so that one of the high arms a isin the path of the pin 6. The low arms are always in the same planehorizontally with' the pin 0, whether the star wheel is in its highposition, shown in Fig. 3, or in its lowered position, as will bepresently described, so that the star wheel having been given a quarterturn by pin 6 striking the high arm, the next quarter turn to completethe desired half turn will be given by pin a striking the next arm,which is a low one. At about the time this latter action occurs,however, the cam 28 lifts the star wheel b engaging with the lower end27 of its sha. t or post 23 to which it is fixed, and thus when the starwheel has been given its second rotary step movement it will haveassumed the raised position of Fig. 3 with its high arms a above theplane of movement of the pins Z) and a, and with its low arm a in theposition to which it was moved and left by the pin 0. Therefore as longas the post or shaft 23 with its star wheel remains in its raisedposition there will be no further revolution of the star wheel and theyarn feed controlled by this star wheel will not be changed by thetravelling pins.

When the next change is to be made, whether this be throwing the yarnfinger in or out, the star wheel must be thrust downwardly so as tobring one of its high arms a in line horizontally with the pin' 6. Itmust be noted here that in the previous movement of the star wheel ithad been left in such a position that it is only necessary to lower itin order that its upper arm a may be located across the path of the pinb to be struck and operated thereby to give the star wheel its firstquarter rotation and to swing the next following low arm a" across thepath of the next pin a, whereupon the star wheel will be given itssecond quarter turn and lifted to idle position'again by cam 28. It willtherefore be seen that the normal position of the star wheel is up, andthat when the pattern mechanism calls for a' change at the feedcontrolled by said star wheel it is thrust down so that it will be givena half turn by the pins 1) and c acting successively upon its high andlow arms and the star wheel will again be in its elevated position assoon as its half turn movement is completed. The high arm a and pin 1)initiate the rotary half turn of the star wheel and the pin 0 and lowarm a" complete the half turn, while the cam 28 elevates the star wheelto idle position in the condition it is left by the pin 0 and low arma"- so that it is ready again to go through its two step rotary movementas soon as it is again lowered. For lowering These tubes are I shafts orposts 23 of the star wheels, so that each time the pattern mechanismpushes one of these rods through its tube it will force the shaft 23downwardly so that the feed controlled by the star wheel of this post orshaft will be changed, whether this change be that of throwing the feedfinger down or up. The tubes 30 are curved .as shown in the applicationreferred to and extend to the pattern mechanism. There is one of thesetubes for each feed and in the present machine they are held by set.screws in the tops of the brackets 1.9, see Fig. 3 The shaft 23 is heldin either its elevated or lowered position by a suitable detent.

Inthe present case I have shown a friction. device at 30', Fig. 3pressed into ad: justable engagement with the post or shaft by a springand screw at 31. Detent means are also provided to prevent rotaryoverthrow of the star wheel and its shaft, so

that it will be restrained when its quarter turn movement has takenplace. The hub 22 of the cam 21 is formed with indents 32 spaced 180apartabout its circumference and these indents are engaged by dctentmeans of any suitable character, shown at 33. This will allow the hub,together with its cam, to be turned by pressure of the pins 5 and a onthe star wheel, but

. 'as soon as the pin positions the star wheel and is about to leave it,the detent will frictionally engage one of the indents and hold the camand star wheel in this position until positive pressure of one of thepins is brought to bear again.

The cam 21 has an upper and a lower portion or circumferential track.The upper track operates upon the arm 16 for controlling the throwing inand out of the yarn finger and shear, and the lower circumferentialtrack of this cam operates upon an arm 34 pivoted at 35 to the base 18ofbracket 19. This arm is connected to a rod 36 extending substantiallypar allel with the rod 14, and it has fixed thereto a stud 37 engagingan arm 38 pivoted to the dial cap at 38' and having a screw or pin 39passing down through a slot 40 in the dial cap and connected with the socalled wing cam 40 of the dial needles for advancing them. When the wingcam is set in its outward position the dial needles will knit, but whenthis cam is retracted inwardly it will not advance the dial needles farenough to make their loops clear their latches and hence these needleswill not knit off, but they will pass this particular feed while simplyholding their loops. They will knit at the next active feed. The radialoutward movemhnt of theat 43 to a bracket fastened, to the fixed camring 7 of the cylinder needles, and thi raising cam 46 is indicated inFig. 2, and

also in Fig. 2, where the post 45 is indicated as raised. The positionof the parts at the right of Fig. 1 and in Figs. 2 and 2 are thoseassumed during knitting. The yarn feed finger 4 is down in feeding po-'sition-and the shear blade 12 is open and the wing cam and cylinderneedle raising cam are in their advanced position to advance the needlesto take the yarn and knit.

The shear blade 12 turns about a post 48 and is connected to an arm 49connected by a link 50 with an arm 5l loose on the 9 turns. Theconnection between the link 50 andvarm 51 is by a pin and slot 52 toallow lost motion, and the arm 51 has a pin in between the members of afork 53 connected to and moving with the hub 9 of the wiper cam. The rod14 has a spring 54 bearing atone end against the shoulder 55 of the rodand ,-at its other end against a collar 56 loose on the rod. This collaris borne upon by a collar 57 of the stud or roller 37, and this collaris fixed and this outward movement of the rod 36- will causeits collar57 to press upon 'collar 56 and this will be transmitted through thespring 54 to force the rod 14 outwardly under control of the arm 16riding upon the upper track of the cam 21, but if arm 16 rides upon ahigh part of its cam' track the rod 14 can still move inwardly becausethe spring. 54 will'yield. This spring incidentally will also reactthrough its loose collar 56 upon the collar 57 fixed to rod 36, so thatwhen a low part of the cam 21 comes opposite. the arm 34, the latterwill move inwardly and thus the spring 54 will assist in operating thedial wing cam and cylinder raising cam to their retracted or tuckposition.

WVhile it is true that the spring 54 has the incidental function juststated, it is to be noted that the main thing which keeps the arm 34against its cam is the springs at the raising and stitch cams of thecylinder reacting through the lever 41 and rod There is a spring at theneedle cams. These are shown at 58 for the wing cam, 59 for the cylinderstitch cam, and 60 for the cylinder needle raising cam.

The cycle of operation of the parts controlled by the cam 21 is asfollows, see Fig.

arrow and makes a half turn at each feed.

changing action. v

When point g reaches lever 34 the latter snaps inwardly due to thesprings at the several needle cams, and thus the wing cam and the needleraising cam of the cylinder will be set in retracted position to avoidclearing their loops back of their latches, and the needles in passingthis feed will not knit but will simply hold their loops. When thishappens the'shears are still open and the yarn finger is still infeeding position, but soon the incline hand point '5 acting on the arm16 raises the yarn feed finger. The shear remains open a little longer,however, because of the lostmotion due to the slot in its linkconnection and also the lost motion provided by the pin between theforks of arm 53. When point 7' reaches arm 16 the shear closes and thecycle of rendering the feed inactive is complete, the parts then beingas'on the left of Fig. 1.

In bringing the feed into operation a ain from the position shown on theleft of ig.

' 1, the cam. 21 makes a half turn in the same direction as before, seethe arrow, and the first effect is that the incline surface from k to Zmoves past arm 16, allowing this to come in under the action of thespring or rod 14, which finds a backing against its loose collar 56 nowheld against the collar 57 fixed on the parallel rod 36. This rod 36 ismoving radially outward because its arm 34 is being pushed by incline m,and its fixed collar 57 is pushing against the loose collar 56 on rod 14and transmitting power through the spring. This will cause rod 14 toswing the cam 9 from over the tail of the am feed finger, which will nowlower by 1ts spring 8. The clamp will not open yet owing to the lostmotion at the fork and pin 53 and to the slot and pin connection 52.This means also that the shear blade will not open yet, but the clamp ofwhich the shear forms a part will maintain control over the cut end ofthe yarn, until the yarn is taken by the needles.

While this lost motion is taking place at the clamp, the surface at m isacting on arm 34 as just stated, and hence the wing cam and cylinderneedle raising cam are being restored to normal position for knitting bymoving the rod 34: outwardly. This movement'of the rod continues untilthe point n is reached, when the cams are fully in position forknitting.

The shears are opened when the point 0 passes the arm '16. The yarnfinger pre-' vious to the opening of the shears had lowered to feedingposition. Briefly. stated the sequence of operations 1s:

Sequence of operation.1n throwing a feed out the order of operation is:

1st; the wing cam and cylinder raising cam are set in retractedposition, i. e., part-- 1y retracted, at the same time the stitch cam ofthe cylinder is set in retracted position so as not to strain the loopsheld by the needles which do not knit at this feed.

2nd; the yarn feed finger is lifted to raise the yarn from the needles.

3rd; the cutter and clamp closes.

Operation in bringing a feed into operation:

1st; yarn finger is lowered.

2nd; the cams (wing, cylinder raising and cylinder stitch cams) are setin knitting po sition.

3rd; clamp opens. The stitch cam is adjusted to slightly retractedposition in order not to strain the loops held by the needles which passthis cam without knitting and this is done automatically by the lever 61pivoted at 62 to a- 0st fixed to the cylinder cam ring. This ever at oneend rests on top of the post of the needle raising cam 46 and at itsother end it has an adjustable screw member 63 to bear on the top of thepost of the stitch cam, so when the needle raising. cam moves down toits tucking position the stitch cam will move up under pressure of itssprings 59 and will thus not strain the formed loops on the needles.

While I have shown features of my invention in connection with a ribknittin machine, I do not limit myself as to all 0 them as applied tothis type of machine. Nor do I limit myself to a machine of the latchneedle type. The drawings and specification herein are illustrative ofthe principle of my inventionand are not to be considered, as limitingthe invention to the mechanism shown, the scope of the invention beingdefined by the appended claims. I The term feed, as used herein, refersgenerally to the station and the appliance lo cated there for directingand forming the yarn into loops. In a two-feed machine, there would betwo of these stations where the yarns are fed to theknitting deviceslocated thereat, and in a three-feed machine there would be three suchstations.

What I claim is: v

1. In combination in a circular rib knitting machine, having a rotaryneedle cylinder and dial, a plurality of feeds disposed at separatedpoints about the knitting head, a plurality of controlling means, onefor each feed supported by the dial cap and in part extendingtherethrough, radial connections extending therefrom to the severalfeeds and means for operating said controlling means in prescribed orderfor changing the feeds, said means including contact means travellingwith the needle dial, substantially as described. I

2. In combination in a circular ribknitting machine, having a rotaryneedle cylinder and dial, a plurality of feeds disposed at separatedpoints about the knitting head, a plurality of controlling means, onefor each feed including members arranged between the dial cap and rotaryneedle dial, with connections extending up through the dial cap andthence radially to the feeds,

from and operated by said members, means carried by the needle dial foroperating said members, and means for determining the time and order ofoperation of the said members by the dial carried means, substantiallyas described.

3. In combination in" a circular rib knitting machine having a rotaryneedle cylinand supported on the rotary dial for operating the starwheels and means for determining when the said means will operate thestar wheels for changing the feed, substantially as described.

4.. In combination in a ribknitting-machine, a rotary needle cylinderand dial, a plurality of eeds disposed about the knitting head, starwheels arranged beneath the dial cap, means travelling withthe needledial for operating the star wheels, cams operated by the star wheels andarranged on the upper side of-the dial cap, connec-, tions extendingfrom said cams outwardly and operated thereby for changing the feeds,andmeansextending down through the dial cap for changing the level ofthe star wheels, substantially as described.

5. In combination in a rib knitting m'a- I chine a rotary needlecylinder and dial, a

plurality of feeds, star wheels on the under side of the dial cap,having high and low arms, contact means von the rotary dial for turningthe star wheels by striking said arms, means extending down through said7 dial cap for lowering the star wheels, so that the upper arms thereofwill be struck by said contact means to turn the star wheels, contactmeans travelling with the dial for operating star wheels through theirlower arms, cam means carried by the rotary dial for raising the starWheels so" that their upper arms will be above the path of travel of thecontact means, and connections from the. star wheels to the feeds,

ting .said members into the path of said 9 i travelling means consistingof posts extending through said dial cap and flexible push rods bearingon the upper ends of said posts for forcing the same downwardly andtubes for guiding said push rods, substantially. as 9? described.

7. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a plurality of feeds,means for controlling them, including members ad justable to differentlevels and supported on R a fixed part of the knitting head, meanstravelling with a rotary part of the knitting head for operating saidmembers, connections between said members and the feeds for changingthem, and means for chang- 405 ing the level of the said membersincluding posts extending up through the fixed part of the knitting headand flexible push members bearing on the upper ends of said posts andtubes for grinding said push members, substantially as described.

8. In combination in a circular rib knitting machine, a plurality offeeds, connectionsfor operating said feeds extending substantiallyradially of the machine'to.- wards the axis-thereof over the dial capand thence through'said cap, means travelling with the. dial foroperating said connections and means for determining the times and orderof operation of said connections including. posts, one for each feedextending through the dial cap, flexible push means bearing'onjthe upperends of said posts, and guide tubes for said flexible push means, saidposts when pushed downwardly moving a part of the said connection intothe path of the travelling means on the dial, substantially as descrbed.

9. In combination in a circular rib knit tingmachine, a plurality offeeds, connections for operating said feeds, extending substantiallytowards the axis thereof over the dial cap and thence through said cap,means travelling with the dial for operating 1 said connections andmeans for determining the times and order of operation of saidconnections including posts, one for each feed, extending through thedial cap, and means for pushing said posts downwardly to throw a part ofsaid connection into the path of said travelling means, substantially asdescribed. I

10. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a plurality of feeds,a star wheel for each feed, having a pair of high and a pair of low armsthereon, sleeves splined to said star wheels and mounted to turn in afixed part of the knitting head, a pan of pins for rotating said starwheel, said pins being arranged one behind the other on a travelling artof the knitting head, posts carrying the 'star wheels and movablethrough the sleeves, means for depressing the posts tobring the up erarms of the star wheels in line with the rst travelling pin, a cam onthe rotary part of the machine between the pins .for raising the posts,the second in turning the star wheels by engaging the ow arms thereof,cams on the upper ends of the sleeve and connections operated by saidcams for throwing the feeds in or out of work, substantially asdescribed.

11. In combination in a circular knitting machine a plurality of feedseach including a movable yarn guide and a yarn cutter, and clamp, aneedle advancing cam at each feed, and means for throwing the feeds inand out of work, including a connection for operating the yarn fingerand cutter to lift the yarn from the needles and cut and clamp it and aconnection for adjusting the needle advancing cam to retracted position,said connections including radial rods, one for the yarn fingers andcutters and one for the needle advancing cams, rotary cams, leversoperated by said cams and connected to said rods, and meansfor-operating said cams, substantially as described.

12. In combination in a circular rib knitting machine, a plurality offeeds, with a movable yarn guide, a yarn cutter and clamp at each feed,a cylinder needle advancing cam, a dial wing cam, a connection at eachfeed for o eratmg the yarn finger and cutter, a radia y extendingconnection at each feed for operating both the wing cam and the cylinderneedle advancing cam, and means for operatin said connections,substantially as describe 1 13. In combination in a circular ribknitting machine, a plurality of feeds spaced apart around the machlnewith a single yarn guide fin er at each feed, movable. to

p and from fee ing position, a yarn cutter and clamp at each feed,connections extending radially inward from the feeds for operating thefeed fingers and yarn cutter, connections extending radially of themachine above the dial cap for operating the dial wing cam and thecylinder needle advancing cam at the various feeds, means for operatingsaid connections mounted in the dial cap and having members at theirlower ends, contact means carried by the rotary needle dial foroperating said members and a pattern connection for each feedcontrolling mechanism to determine the order of their operation by thesaid contact means, substantially as described.

14. In combination in a circular rib knitting machine, a plurality offeeds spaced apart about the machine, a series of connections extendinginwardly from the feeds above the dial cap, means mounted in the dialcap and having contact members exposed at the lower ends thereof foroperating said connections, contact means on the upper side of andtravelling with the dial for operating the contact means firstmentioned, and pattern controlled connections, one for each feed forsetting the contact means of the said connections into position to beoperatedby the said dial carried con tact means, substantially asdescribed.

15. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a plurality of feedswith a movable yarn finger at each feed, a connecting.

yarn finger inrod extending from each wardly towards the center of themachine, needle advancing cams, a connecting rod extending radially ofthe machine for operating said needle advancing cam to retractedposition when the yarn finger is thrown out of work, a cam for each pairof connecting rods, belonging to one feed and levers, one for each rodof each pair, one arranged on one side of the cam and the other arrangedon the other side of the cam, said cam having two cam tracks, one foreach lever and means for operating the cams, substantially as described.

16. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a plurality of feedswith a movable yarn finger at each feedflt connecting rod extending fromeach yarn finger inwardly towards the center of the machine, needleadvancing cams, a connecting rod extending radially of the machine foroperatin said needle advancing cam to retracte position when the yarnfinger is thrown out of work, a cam for each pair of connecting rodsbelonging to one feed, and levers, one for each rod of each pair, onearranged on one side of the cam and the other arranged on the other sideof the cam, said cam having two cam tracks, one

rod of the-yarn fingers bearing at its outer end on a fixed shoulder ofsaid rod and at its inner end ion a loose collar, the companion rod ofeach pair leading to the needle'cam. having a collar fixed thereonbearing on the loose collar to compress the spring and keep the lever ofthe yarn finger connection against the low part of its cam when theother lever is riding against the higher part of its cam track,substantially as described.

17. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a pluralityot feeds,with movable yarn feeding means at each feed. a cylinder needle raisingcam, a radial rod for operating the feeding means at each feed, a radialrod for operating the needle raising cam at each feed, a leverinterposed between said rod and cam, and means for operating the rods.substantially as described.

18. In combination in a circular rib knitting machine, a plurality offeeds, a movable yarn finger ateach feed, a yarn cutter and clamp ateach feed, a radial rod at each feed for operating said yarn finger andclamp, a second radial rod, at each feed, wing cams, a connectionbetween said last named rods and the Wing cams and bell crank leverconnections between said rods and the needle raising cams, a cam foreach feed for operating the pair of rods at each feed, said cam beingmounted on the upper side of the dial cap, and a connection for each ofsaid cams for operating them, extending down through the dial cap, andhaving a contact member at its lower end, contact means on the upperside of the rotary dial for operating said contact means first mentionedand a pattern controlled connection for each feed including a verticallymovable post connected to the contact means first mentioned for set tingit into line with the travelling contact means of the dial and flexiblepushers With guide tubes therefor, one for each post, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES C. KRIEBLE.

